The Capture Of Fort Donelson

ÜEABQUAÜTERS AllMY IN THE FlELD, ) Fort DouelboK, Feb. 16, 1862. $ Gen O. ff. Cüllom, Chief of Stfiff, Dopnrt ment of Wíobo ri. General - I am ploatied to announce to you the unconditional surrender, tlns morning, of Fort Dunelson, with twclve to fnteen thousand priaonirs, st least forty pieces of artíllery, and a large ainouiit of stores, horses, mules, and oth er public property. I left Fort Ilenry on the I2th inst., with a forcé of about 15,000 men, divided into two divisions, under the commaud of Generáis McOlernand and Smith. Six regiments were seut around by water the day before, convoyed by a gunbout, or, rather, started one day lator thnu oue of the gunboats, and with astruetions not to p:ss. The troops made the niarch in good order, the head of the column airirtsg witlu!) two miles of tí fort at 12 o'clock M. At this point the eneniy'a pickets were met ind driven in. ïhe fortitícations of the enemy were from this poiut gradually appioaohed and surrounded, with oce;isional skirmuhing on the liue. The following day owing to the nou-arrival of the gunboat and reinforcements sent by water, no attaek was inade; but the investinent waa extended oo the flunks of thieneiny, and drawn closer to his works, with skirniisliing all day. The evening of the l.'ith the. gu boats and reinforcements arrived. Ün the 14th a gallant attauk was made by flag offiuer Foote upon the eneiuy's works with his fleut. The engagement lasted probably one hour and a luiif, and bid fair to result favorMy to the cnuse of tlie Union, when two unluuky shots disabled two of tiie armored gunboats, 80 tliat tliey were eanied back by the eurrent. The remaining tyo were very much disabled also having received a number of heavy shots about the pilot-house and other parts of the vesseli. After these miihaps, I conclnded to make the inytstmeot of Fort Douelson as perfect as possible, and ally íbrtify and await repairs to the gun)oats. ïliis plan was fruutrated, however, by tho onemy making niaking a most vigorous attaclc upn ur riglit wing, commanded by Gen. J. A. MoClernaud, I vith a portion of tho foree ucder Gou. L Wiiüace. Tlie cncniy were rcpelled ' ,er a closely contested battlo of several : ïourè, in wliich our Ios3 was heavy The office, and particularly fiuld offioors, suffered out of proportion. I have not the meaos vet of determioing our loss even approxhr.ately, but it c:in not fall short of 1,200 killed, wounded and missing. Of the lattor I unde;-staud, through Güieral BnckoOT, about 250 werc taken prisoncrs. I shall retaiu eiiough of the encmy to exchange for them, as thcy werc immediately shippcd off and notleft for reoaptura. At the close of the action tho nition in the cartridge boxes gave out, which, with the loss ot' maDy of the field ! officers, produced great confusión in the ! ranks. Seeing the enemy did not take advantnge of this fact, I orderod a charge I upon the loft - enemy' s right - with the ' división under Gen. C. F. Srnith, whieh was most brilliantly executed, and gave to our ai-nis full assurance of viotory, - The battle lasted until dark, gtving ue poss:'83ion of parf of their int: co'nuents. An ittack was ordcred upoa their other fl.-s.il k", ai'ter the charge by Gen. Smith i yai couimonced, by the d'vision3 under ! Q-ena McClenrjr.d and Wallacc, which, I iiot'.vitlisiaiviing the hoars of exposure to a heavy fire in the iore p;irt of tho d;iy, was gallantly mndo and tho tnemy i thor repuhed. At the points thus gained, night baviog come ou, all the trjors eaeamped for the night, feeliug that a oompleta vietory wouklcrown their laborg at au early hour in the morning. This raorning at a very early hour, Gen. S. K. Buckher sent a messagjo our eamp under a flag of truce, prJ)aing an arn istice, &e. A copy of thé correspjndence which ensued is herewith accompanied. I cannot mentiou iud.viduals who specially distinguiahed themstlves, but lenve that to división and brigade officers, wliose reporta wiil bo forwardod as soon as received. To división oomnca iders, howover, Generáis McClernand, Smith and Wallaee, I must do thejustice tosay that eaoh ot tbem were with tlieir com manda in the uiidst of dange-, and were alwsys readj to oxéente all orders, no matter vhot the exposure to tfacmselvea At the hour the attaok was mado on Qeu McCleruiind's cominiind I was absent, Laving receiyed a note froni flagofficer Footo, requesting uio to go aud aee him. he boiug unablo to eall. My personal staff - Col. J. D. Webster, dief of Staff; Col.J Riggin, Jr., vulunteer Aid ; Gapt. S. A Iiawlins, A. A. Geueral; Qapts. C. B. LagoT and W. S. Hil yer, Aids, and Liout. Col. V. B. McPliersou, Cbief Engineer - all ara deserving of personal nioütiou for Jthe r gsllmtry and s(iices. Fi r full delaiia and reporis and partióulars, referenoe is made to the reporta, of the euginser, medioal director, and com mandéis ot' brigades and divisions, to fol low. I ui, 'J, rnl very repectful'y, Your obedient s.rvain, Brigadier General.